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An 1850 in EF or more would be a scary price, just checked Londons realised prices and a recent VG/FINE went for £1600. I'm surprised there is no 1854 or 63 Florins on the SG list yet a 1905 halfcrown is. It would also be interesting to make a FORUM 100/200 list for the more affordable coins for the normal collector

https://www.stanleygibbons.com/medias/sys_master/8861642424350/coinindex2012.pdf

Funnily enough the biggest buyer of the day at the slaney sale was a representative of an consortium. Infact there were two their often bidding against each other. The main one bought most of the expensive coins offered.

Not the first time 'investment firms/funds' have been involved in the hobby.... http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/millionaires-coin-sale-unsettles-money-market-a-huge-investment-collection-goes-to-sothebys-tomorrow-its-sale-could-undermine-world-prices-geraldine-norman-reports-1509860.html

It's still alive and well, just that a few people with a lot of money and nowhere to use it have muscled in. There has always been more coins available than collectors to absorb them, just the most desirable pieces are increasingly sought after. This is the area where the pressure lies.

Yes, that is why there was very little of interest to collectors like me. As per Jac above, the Gerald Jackson sales were unheralded but had some of the very nicest pennies I have ever seen with many bits of much more interest than the Slaney - the Spink stock photos did not do them justice at all with these very underrated consequently. Unfortunately for the secondary market, many of them fell into the hands of the few and the prices were boosted considerably. As best I could gather, these pieces were "cherrypicked" through the '80s and '90s by the consignor from mainly the Spink Numismatic Circular - possibly advised by an insider.